Influence of Cellulose Filler Extracted from Napier Grass on Thermal Characterizations, Moisture Content, Tensile Strength, Biodegradation, and Morphological Structure of Bioplastic Films

ABSTRACT

This paper reports on the effects of Napier grass (NG) cellulose used as a filler on the thermal characterizations, moisture content, tensile strength, biodegradation, and morphological structure of bioplastic films. Bioplastic films were obtained from chitosan and gelatin; and from the fiber, bark, and whole of Napier grass (NG). The films were prepared by solution casting with 1, 1.5, 2, and 2.5 wt.% of cellulose content. Alkali and bleaching treatments were performed on the cellulose using 8% sodium hydroxide and 1.7% sodium chlorite. The results reveal that the tensile strength of the bioplastic film with 2 wt.% of fiber filler was the highest and decreased when the cellulose filler loading was 2.5 wt.%. Increasing the cellulose loading accelerated the biodegradation rate of the bioplastic films. The addition of the fiber filler had improved compatibility among the components and the barrier properties of the film that led to a less-porous film.

摘要

本文报道了纳皮尔草纳皮尔草(NG)纤维素作为填料对生物塑料薄膜的热特性、水分含量、拉伸强度、生物降解和形态结构的影响.生物塑料薄膜由壳聚糖和明胶制成;从纤维、树皮和整个龙舌兰(NG)中提取. 薄膜通过溶液浇铸法制备, 纤维素含量为1、1.5、2和2.5 wt.%. 使用8%氢氧化钠和1.7%亚氯酸钠对纤维素进行碱处理和漂白处理. 结果表明,纤维填料含量为2%时,生物塑料薄膜的拉伸强度最高,当纤维填料含量为2.5%时,拉伸强度降低. 纤维素负载量的增加加快了生物塑料薄膜的生物降解速率. 纤维填料的加入改善了组分之间的相容性和膜的阻隔性能,从而使膜的多孔性降低.

KEYWORDS:

• Napier
• chitosan
• gelatin
• bioplastic
• biodegradation

关键词:

• 纳皮尔
• 壳聚糖
• 明胶
• 生物塑料
• 生物降解

Acknowledgments

The authors thank the International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) and the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering Technology and the Faculty of Electronic Engineering Technology of the Universiti Malaysia Perlis (UniMAP) for their assistance and for making their facilities available at every stage of this research.

Disclosure statement

M.J.M. Ridzuan has received research grants from the Ministry of Higher Education, Malaysia, through the Fundamental Research Grant Scheme.

Research data related to this submission

There are no linked research datasets available for this submission. Data will be made available upon request

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Ministry of Higher Education, Malaysia (MOHE) under the Fundamental Research Grant Scheme [FRGS/1/2020/STG05/UNIMAP/02/1].